Archive for the ‘Advocacy’ Category

On the night of May 11 of this year, 100 APG members and supporters “stood up” for historic preservation at the Alhambra City Council meeting. APG President Chris Olson gave a presentation advocating for Alhambra’s adoption of a preservation ordinance and delivered a packet of educational documents that included a sample historic preservation ordinance and APG’s Preservation Myths and Facts to each of the Alhambra City Councilmembers. She also challenged Alhambra’s council to hold a study session so they could learn more about the preservation of historic buildings. While the City Council has yet to schedule a study session on this issue, the update of Alhambra’s General Plan began in mid-May and the survey that was distributed to residents in June included questions about historic preservation.

Alhambra’s General Plan

You may be aware that our city is now engaged in the process of creating a new General Plan – one that will guide Alhambra’s growth and development for the next 20 years. During the open comment period that ended in July, APG organized three ice cream socials hosted by the owners of Heritage Award-winning historic homes. These casual events were models of citizen engagement, and they generated lively discussions about our visions for Alhambra’s future. The next step in Alhambra’s General Plan process is the release of the draft General Plan. It looks like the City of Alhambra will host its next community meeting in January 2016. We will be sure to notify you once the draft plan has been released to the public for review.

It’s time to stand up for historic preservation! Alhambra needs your help on Monday, May 11, 2015. All you have to do is show up at the City Council meeting scheduled that evening to show your support for historic preservation in Alhambra.

Alhambra Preservation Group has been working hard for a very long time to move our city’s elected leadership toward a preservation ordinance that will:

• Protect the character of our neighborhoods;
• Increase and maintain the value of our homes; and
• Conserve our precious historic and architectural resources.

So far, we have been disappointed by Alhambra’s leaders’ lack of initiative in adopting a preservation ordinance. We are ready to show them that a significant number of Alhambrans believe that now is the time to move forward with adopting a preservation ordinance.

Since May is National Preservation Month, we’re using the occasion of the May 11 City Council meeting to show them—in an unmistakable, visual way—that their neighbors and constituents want to see historic preservation included in our city’s planning policy. We plan on taking advantage of the public comment period at the end of the meeting when APG’s President, Christine Olson will address the Council, offering a variety of planning materials and resources, and asking them to conduct a “study session” on how historic preservation might be incorporated into city planning here in Alhambra. Your presence in the audience will demonstrate that you stand in support of historic preservation.

Won’t you join us? Alhambra needs you! Here are the specifics regarding the City Council meeting:

APG’s goal is to pack the Council chamber with supporters and to create a powerful visual display for our elected leaders. This is one of those times when numbers matter! It’s all about showing up. We don’t know how long the meeting will last, but it’s important that we all stay until the end.

This is the most important thing we’ve ever asked of you and we hope that you’ll be willing to answer this call. Can Alhambra count on you?

If you’d like more information, please feel free to contact us at info@alhambrapreservation.org.

Last Tuesday night, Alhambra’s Council chambers were filled with residents attending the Planning Commission meeting where the City Ventures LLC Midwick project was discussed and considered.

Alhambra Preservation Group had six board members in attendance with three board members speaking against the project. “While none of the buildings in the proposed construction zone are listed on the National Register of Historic Places or included in Alhambra’s list of historic buildings, that does not mean the buildings aren’t significant. Some of them date back to 1937, and most were built between 1947 to 1968,” stated Christine Olson, APG President. “The city of Alhambra … has not compiled a list of its historic resources in more than 30 years, and that one was limited in its scope. What that means is that no one really knows if there are locally significant historic buildings in Midwick that will be demolished by this project,” she continued.

The meeting lasted until after 10 p.m with almost two and a half hours of public comment. Resident after resident gave informed, rational and heartfelt reasons why the project, which will be located at 2400 South Fremont Avenue in the Midwick Tract, should not move forward. Unfortunately, the Planning Commission approved the project by a vote of 7 to 2. Tom Maloney and Ross Maza were the only commissioners to vote against the project, which will demolish all existing structures, build 70 new residences and re-zone a portion of the area. The proposed project’s specific plan will now go before the City Council for final approval.